Francis is a distinctive girls' name in United States, ranking #1685 in 2025 with 122 recorded births. The name reached its all-time peak in 1996 with 136 births ranking #1275. Since 1996, the popularity has decreased by 10.3%. In 2025, approximately 1 in every 13,174 girls born was named Francis. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Francis is a long-standing classic usually linked with the meaning "Frenchman" and, more distantly, with freedom. It has a gentle dignity and a rich religious and cultural history.
The name spread widely through Saint Francis of Assisi and later remained important across Catholic and wider European naming traditions. In English it feels thoughtful and quietly elegant.